Leaving GameStop? The Biggest Mistake Is Waiting Too Long to Get Your Records

GameStop closed 590 stores in 2024. Another 296 or more shut down in January 2026 alone, often with just days’ notice to employees. Benefits premiums went up in 2026. Average pay for a game advisor sits around $28,544 a year. The employee discount does not even cover new consoles, which is the one product a gaming employee actually wants.

If you are still at GameStop and thinking about leaving, do not wait until your store shows up on the closure list. Get your records now, understand what you are owed, and resign on your own terms.

The #1 Problem: Losing Access Before You Are Ready

The single biggest issue former GameStop employees report is losing access to Workday (myworkday.gamestop.com) and ADP (my.adp.com / w2.adp.com) before they have downloaded their records. When your store closes or your employment ends, access gets cut fast.

Do log into Workday and ADP right now, today, before you even give notice. Download:

• Your last 6 pay stubs (ADP > Pay Statements)
• Your W-2 from last year if you have not already filed (ADP > Tax Statements)
• Your benefits enrollment summary (Workday > Benefits)
• Your PTO balance (Workday > Time Off)

Don’t assume you will be able to get in later. You might not. GameStop’s post-separation access has been inconsistent, especially during periods of mass closures when thousands of employees are being processed out at once.

How to Resign

Tell your Store Leader (SL) in person. GameStop does not have a self-service resignation option in Workday or any other portal. Your SL or Assistant Store Leader (ASL) processes your separation.

Do give two weeks’ notice in writing. A note or text to your SL with your last day works. Keep a copy.

Don’t just stop showing up, even if you hate the job. Job abandonment gets coded differently from a voluntary resignation, and that code follows you if you ever apply at GameStop or if a future employer contacts GameStop for verification.

Do ask your SL what separation code they are entering. You want “voluntary resignation with notice.”

Don’t expect an exit interview or a formal process. GameStop’s store-level operations have been running lean for years. Your SL will enter the separation and move on.

Your Employee Discount Before and After

GameStop’s employee discount is 15 to 25% off games, accessories, collectibles, and pre-owned items. It does not cover new consoles (PS5, Xbox, Switch), which is the most common employee complaint about the program.

Do use your discount before your last day on anything you have been thinking about buying.

Don’t use it after your employment ends. Post-separation purchases on an employee account are flagged.

Do know about the 20% trade-in bonus that some stores offer during closure periods. If your store is closing, you may be able to take advantage of boosted trade values before the doors shut.

More at GameStop employee discounts.

PTO and Final Paycheck

GameStop employees report feeling pressure about using PTO, and benefits premiums increased in 2026, making the overall compensation picture even thinner.

Do check your PTO balance on Workday before giving notice.

Don’t assume GameStop will automatically pay out your PTO. It depends on your state:

• Mandatory payout states (California, Colorado, Illinois, and others): Your accrued, unused PTO must be included in your final check.
• Other states: Company policy applies. Resigning with notice gives you a better chance at payout.

Do know that GameStop pays biweekly. Your final check arrives on the next regular payday.

State-by-state rules at GameStop final paycheck laws.

Benefits After You Leave

Health insurance: Ends the last day of the month you quit. COBRA follows by mail. With benefits premiums already increasing in 2026, COBRA costs may be higher than you expect. Check Medicaid eligibility after job loss as an alternative if your income qualifies.

401(k): Stays in the plan until you move it.

Corporate Shopping platform: Access ends with your employment.

Full details at GameStop benefits after termination.

If Your Store Is Closing (You Are Not Quitting)

This is a different situation and it matters for unemployment.

Do confirm with your SL or District Manager that your separation is coded as a layoff or store closure, not a voluntary resignation. The code determines your unemployment eligibility.

Don’t sign anything that characterizes your departure as voluntary if you are being let go because of a closure. Some employees report being pressured to resign rather than be laid off. A closure is a layoff, period.

Do file for unemployment if your store closes and you are not offered a transfer to a nearby location. You are entitled to it. See how to file unemployment after being fired.

Don’t forget that the WARN Act requires 60 days’ notice for closures at locations with 100+ employees. Most GameStop stores have fewer than 100 employees, so WARN may not apply to your location. But check your state’s mini-WARN laws, which may have lower thresholds.

Rehire Eligibility

Do know that GameStop’s rehire picture is bleak right now. With hundreds of stores closing annually and the company shifting toward digital, there are far fewer positions to come back to.

• Resigned with notice: Technically eligible to reapply.
• Resigned without notice: Waiting period, but the real question is whether there is a store to apply at.
• Laid off due to closure: Usually eligible immediately.
• Terminated for cause: Varies.

Don’t count on GameStop being the same company in a year. The shift toward digital sales, the Bitcoin investments, and the ongoing store reduction mean that the retail floor position you held may not exist at scale much longer.

Before Your Last Day

Do:

• Download pay stubs and W-2 from ADP (my.adp.com).
• Save your benefits enrollment from Workday.
• Check PTO balance and state payout rules.
• Update your mailing address for W-2 delivery.
• Return your name badge, keys, and any store-issued devices.
• Save your gamestop.com/employee login info (discount account) in case you need to reference past orders.
• Note Okta SSO at gamestop.okta.com is the gateway to all systems. If you can get into Okta, you can reach Workday and ADP.

Don’t:

• Wait until your store is on the closure list to download records.
• Use your discount after your last day.
• Assume your SL will handle the paperwork correctly without you confirming.
• Forget to file for unemployment if you are laid off, not quitting.

GameStop’s situation is changing quarter by quarter. The one thing that does not change is the importance of having your records before you lose access. Whether you are quitting or getting caught in a closure, download first, resign second.

For more GameStop employee resources, visit the GameStop employee hub. Portal details at GameStop login portals and GameStop HR contacts.